Dental Hygienist License in Nebraska

Nebraska requires dental hygienist applicants to graduate from a CODA-accredited dental hygiene program and pass the NBDHE plus a clinical examination. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Board of Dentistry oversees dental hygienist licensing. CE is required for biennial renewal, with a minimum of 24 credit hours per two-year period including specific topics in infection control and jurisprudence. Nebraska has implemented a public health dental hygienist practice permit that allows hygienists to provide preventive services in designated public health settings including schools, federally qualified health centers, and long-term care facilities under general supervision of a dentist through a written agreement. The University of Nebraska Medical Center and Central Community College in Hastings offer CODA-accredited dental hygiene programs. Nebraska's rural western and panhandle regions experience significant dental professional shortages that are among the most severe in the Great Plains. The state has approximately 1,500 licensed dental hygienists, concentrated primarily in the Omaha and Lincoln metropolitan areas. Nebraska's agricultural economy and aging rural population make preventive dental services delivered by hygienists increasingly vital to public health.